Hood catch



R. G. MOORE HOOD CATCH April 17, 1934.

Filed Feb. 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Ctttorneg R. G. MOORE HOOD CATCH April 17, 1934.

Filed Feb. 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. G. MOORE HOOD CATCH Aprifl 17, 1934.

Filed Feb. 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Snnentor fgymo m 6. M00792; l y vm (Ittorneg Patented 1'7, 1934 TES PATENT OFFICE Application February 25, 1932, Serial No. 595,017

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in hood catches, particularly of the type in which rock-shaft means is provided interiorly of the hood for engagement near the ends of the hood with keeper brackets secured to the chassis, the

' rock shaft means being actuated by an operating handle arranged exteriorly and at a central or intermediate point upon the hood. In order to have a catch of this nature function with the necessary freedom, and at the same time be manufactured cheaply, it is necessary that considerable looseness and clearance be maintained at all of the fitted points and between all of the relatively movable parts, in order to take care of manufacturing tolerances and variations in the automobile bodies, and this has resul ed in backlash, looseness, and other objectionable conditions, in the commercial types of catches at present in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a catch which may be constructed economically and with relatively great clearances to take care of manufacturing tolerances and variations in the automobile bodies, and which at the same time is free from back-lash and looseness, and to this end I propose, in the exemplary illustrated embodiment of my invention, to provide positive manually operable means for moving the latch means in one direction and spring means for moving said means in the other direction.

A further object is to provide a catch in which the latch means will be positioned correctly when the hood is dropped into closed position, so that the chance of damage from misalignment, such as might occur with back-lash present is eliminated.

Another object is to provide a catch which will be under tension at all times, whether the hood is raised or lowered, thus firmly holding the parts against rattling and vibration noises, this being particularly important in modern automobiles, where the designers are striving toward the elimination of all noises. The elimination of rattling and vibration noises is especially desirable in the case of a mechanic test ng the engine and trying to locate and diagnose slight noises in the engine or car.

It is also an object to provide a construction which will prevent the handle from jarring around or being knocked into a partially closed position when the hood is raised.

A still further object is to provide a catch which may be operated with ease, and in which the full effective throw of th actuating means is utilized without rose from back-lash, lost-motion, or other such conditions heretofore found in hood catches.

With the above and other objects in view, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view through the hood and frame and showing the catch in plan, 65 the same being in its operative position, and intermediate portions of the hood and rock-shaft being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an interior elevation in the operative position.

Fig. 3 is an interior elevation showing the catch in its operative position, the keeper means not being shown.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the clip member for retaining the crank arm prior to assembly of the handle shaft.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4, but before assembly of the handle.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the hood and frame and showing a modified form of the invention, the catch being shown in plan and in its operative position, and intermediate portions of the hood and rock-shaft being broken away.

Fig. 9 is an interior elevation also in operative position, and showing the inoperative position in 90 dotted lines.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 10l0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the crank arm employed.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the operating handle, partially broken away.

Fig. 13 is an interior elevation of a further modified form of the invention being shown in full lines in operative position and in dotted lines in inoperative position.

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 14-14 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the equalizing coupling member employed.

Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 thereof, the automobile hood 10 is adapted to close in the usual manner against the lacings l1 and 12 of the radiator frame 13 and cowl portion 14 of the chassis.

Upon the inner face of the hood, and preferably at a central point between the hood ends there is riveted, or otherwise suitably secured a bracket plate 15 having a circular aperture 16 therein in axial alignment with a slightly larger aperture 17 in the hood. A shouldered cylindrical bearing bushing 18 is secured within the aperture 16, as by swaging over, as at 19, the swaged portion being disposed in the aperture 17 of the hood.

The handle 20 is provided with a reduced diameter shaft-portion 21 journaled in the bushing 18, and having at its inner end a reduced and threaded extension 22 provided with fiat portions 23-23, and upon which the crank arm 24 is rigidly secured, the latter being provided with a non-circular opening 25 adapted to fit the ex tension 22 and being secured thereon by a nut 26.

In the assembly of the automobile the handle is very often attached at a different point in the assembly line than the catch, and in some cases is supplied by a different manufacturer. As the crank arm 24 in the present device is rigidly secured to the handle shaft in the operative relation, it is desirable, in the absence of other retaining means, that it be retained in relation to the bushing 18 before attachment of the handle. For this purpose I employ a clip member 27 having an aperture 28, registering with the aperture 25 of the crank arm, and provided with side portions 29-29 bent about the sides of the crank arm having inwardly bent lugs 30-30 provided with arcuate recesses 31-3l, and which loosely and rotatably engage an annular channel 32 provided in the bushing 18.

This clip member effectually retains the crank arm, and inasmuch as it in no way interferes with the operation of the catch is allowed to remain in place after assembly of the handle and serves as a washer between the crank arm and the securing nut 26. Itfurthermore facilitates assembly of the handle by holding the crank-arm in proper position for insertion of the shaft end 22.

The crank arm 24 is bent at an inclined angle at one end, as at 33, and has a pin extension 34 secured thereon, extending at an inclination to the main portion of the crank arm and adapted to engage and operate the rock-shaft catch means in one direction, as will hereinafter more fully appear. The other end of the crank arm is bent toward the plate 15, as at 35, and then bent outwardly, as at 36, in parallel relation to the main portion of the crank arm, to provide a plate engaging foot portion having cooperative engagement with the plate, as will hereinafter more fully appear, to limit movement of the crank arm and retain it in operative and inoperative positions.

The rock shaft 37, which extends longitudinally along the interior of the hood at each side of i the bracket plate 15, is journaled in bearing brackets 3838 provided on the bracket plate adjacent its vertical edges, and is also journaled near its outer ends in bearing brackets 3939 secured interiorly upon the hood.

Between the bearing brackets 3838 the rockshaft is curved to provide an arcuate crank portion 40, which is engaged at one side by the pin 34 of the crank-arm 24 in such manner that rotation of the crank arm imparts rotational movement to the rock-shaft in one direction, from the inoperative to the operative position in the exemplary illustrated embodiment.

The outer ends of the rock-shaft are bent outwardly and longitudinally to provide offset crank ends 41 and 42, disposed parallel to the rock shaft, the offset of these crank portions being relatively greater than that of the arcuate crank portion 40 and also being angularly offset with respect to said portion 40. The crank portions 41 and 42 are adapted to engage angular keeper brackets 43 and 44 suitably mounted on the radiator and cowl, or upon any other convenient part of the chassis, in proximity to the hood ends. These brackets are illustrated as formed of sheet metal and their engaging faces, which are preferably disposed at an angle of about 45, are respectively provided with pressed out rounded ribs 45 and 46 for engagement by the crank ends 41 and 42, providing positive and firm engagement, irrespective of variations in the mounting and disposition of the parts.

The rock-shaft is formed of a suitable spring metal, so that the crank ends 41 and 42 may be sprung to a different angular relation to the central crank portion 40 under the torsion and tensional effect of the rock-shaft. In the operative position, Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, with the crank ends 41 and 42 in engagement with the keeper brackets, this tension pressed upon the pin 34, causing the foot portion 36 of the crank arm to be pressed tightly against the plate 15. This action is utilized to detent the crank arm, and thus hold the parts in operative position, as will presently more fully appear.

For this purpose the plate 15 is provided with a pair of pressed out stop bosses 47 and 48 against which the foot abuts in its respective operative and inoperative position, so that the operating handle is limited to a definite swing of 90, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. An arcuate rib 47 is pressed up from the plate extending from a point contiguous to the boss 48 to a point spaced from the boss 47 to provide a detent pocket into which the foot drops in the operative position. The end of the rib is sli htly beveled as at 50, so that in releasing the crank arm to permit it to swing to inoperative position the foot may be forced out of the detent pocket onto the rib surface. It will be seen from Fig. 4 that the handle shaft 21 has a slightly loose fit in the bushing 18 to permit the crank arm to have a. slight rocking movement, permitting it to drop into the detent pocket between the stop 47 and the end of the rib 49 in the operative position, and to frictionally engage the surface of the rib in the inoperative position, this frictional engagement being suflicient to retain the handle in inoperative position independently of the position of the rock shaft.

In order to impart movement to the rock shaft from the operative to the inoperative position and to prevent any back-lash or loosen ss between the latch parts, a pair of helical springs 5l-51 are mounted upon the rock-shaft at each side of the bracket plate 15, and are arranged to exert a turning pressure thereon toward the inoperative position, the springs being secured at their outer ends to the shaft by a tight wrap-around portion 52 and having their inner end portions 5353 abutting the bearing portions 38. This type of spring may be conveniently assembled by forcing it upon the rock-shaft rod before bending of the end crank portions. Obviously the spring may be of any other suitable type and may be disposed at any suitable point to perform the desired function of imparting movement to the rockshaft in one direction.

The operation is as follows:-

As shown in Fig. 3 the hood catch is in its inoperative or released position, the rock-shaft being rotated by the springs 51 so that the crank ends 41 and 42 are held against the hood surface clear of the keeper brackets as the hood is closed against the lacings. The danger is entirely eliminated of these crank ends being displaced from their inoperative position, either by accidental knocking against th operating handle, or from other causes. The crank ends are thus positioned so that they cannot foul the keeper brackets in closing the hood and cause possible damage to the car finish. Looseness and backdash is also eliminated, and as there is no lost motion between the parts the full movement of the actuating parts is efiectually utilized. As the operating handle is swung to the operative position, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the crank arm swings the arcuate crank portion 40 upwardly, rotating the rock-shaft and its crank ends 41 and 42, first bringing said ends under and into engagement with the keeper brackets, whereupon they are sprung under tension as the movement of the handle is completed, the foot portion 36 of the crank arm dropping at this point into the detent pocket adjacent the stop boss d7, where the tension exerted by the crank-shaft presses it into firm engagement, thereby retaining the parts in operative position. The hood is thus effectually held downwardly and inwardly through the angularity of the keeper brackets. To disengage the catch the handle shaft is turned to overcome the detenting tension holding the crank arm, the foot portion 36 riding up upon the beveled surface of the rib 49, 5o whereupon the springs 51 move the rock shaft to inoperative position.

In Figs. 8 to 12 I have shown a modified form of the invention, in which the operating handle is adapted to be arranged at a relatively higher point upon the hood than the rock-shaft, the distance between the two being determined simply by the height of the bracket plate an the length of the operating connection between the crank arm and rock-shaft The bracket plate 54, which is riveted to the hood 10, is provided with a flanged bearing aperture 55 in which the handle 56 is journaied, the latter being provided with a reduced dian-- eter shank portion 57 engag 2' said flanged aperture with a rotary and sngntly loose fit, and having at its inner end a reduced and threaded extension 5.5. Flats 59-59 are provided upon the shank adjacent the threaded extension 58, and the crank arm 60 is engaged upon this flat tened portion of the shank, being provided with a non-circular opening 61 adapted to snugly fit thereon and being secured by a nut 62. The slightly loose fit of the handle shank in its bearing permits a slight tilting of the crank arm for the purpose of detenting in the operating position, in a similar manner to the detenting action of the first described embodiment, the bracket plate having pressed out bosses 63 and 64 for limiting the swing of the crank arm to 90 and an arcuate rib 65 having its end spaced from the boss 63 to provide a detenting pocket into which the end of the arm drops in its operative position indicated in full lines. The end of the rib is beveled, as at 65, to permit the crank arm to be forced out of the recess an; upon the surface of the rib, being held in the inoperative position shown in dotted lines, by

frictional engagement with said rib independently of the position of the rock shaft. The detenting end of the crank arm is out in at the sides, as at 67-67 to provide a reduced width detenting portion.

The crank arm is bent outwardly from the bracket plate to provide an offset operating end and has an aperture 68 therein, in which the right angularly bent end 69 of a connecting rod member 70 is loosely engaged and retained by pinching out the projected end of said portion 69, as at '71.

The connecting rod is provided at its lower end with a U-shape hook portion '72 engaged with the intermediate crank portion '73 of the rock shaft 37 this crank portion being anguiarly bent to substantially -form. The rock shaft is journaied at each side of the intermediate crank portion 73 in bearing portions '7 l74 bent from the lower edge of -1e bracket plate. The end bearing 39-39, the outer keeper engaging crank ends 41 and a2, the keeper brackets 43 and 4e, and the spring members 51-51 provided upon the rock shaft to move it toward the inoperative position, are similar to and operate in the same manner as those employed in the first embodiment, and are therefore given the same reference characters.

A lug is pinched out from the rod 70 at a point opposite the end of the U-portion '72, the position of this lug being such that it will not contact the crank portion 73 in any position of rotation oi the crank arm, but will prevent disengagement of the rod from the rock-shaft when the operating handle is not assembled, the crank arm in this case being connected to the rod, so that these parts will not become separated or lost before attachment of the handle.

It will be observed that actuation of the operating handle from the inoperative position to the operative position imparts rotary movement to the rock-shaft to swing the crank ends upwardly, and that the movement from operative nccting rod member To rotates the rock shaft, the crank arm being retained in its operative position by dropping into the detent pocket adiacent the stop boss 63. It will be observed that in this position the crank arm is at its high point, so that the full eifective swing is utilized for moving and tensioning the rock-shaft. To disengage the latch the handle is moved to force the crank arm out of the detent pocket whereupon the springs 5151 swing the rock-shaft to its inoperative position. It will be observed in both embodiments of the invention, that with the operating handle and rockshaft in inoperative position, the latter may be swung without imparting movement to the operating handle, so that if the rock shaft is independently rotated, either intentionally or otherwise, it will not disturb the position of the operating handle, and the rock-shaft will automatically return to inoperative position, so that it is in proper relation for closing the hood.

In Figs. 13 to 16 I have shown a modification in which an equalizing coupling member 76 is employed as a crank between a pair of separately formed rock-shafts 37 and 37, the connecting rod '70 being engaged with the coupling member to move it to operative position, while spring members 51--51 provided on the respective rockshafts 3'7 and 37 move it toward the inoperative position in a substantially similar manner to the other embodiments.

The inner ends of the rock-shafts 37 and 37 are bent to provide offset crank ends '77 and 78, which are disposed parallel to the rock shafts and are relatively shorter than and angularly offset with respect to the outer keeper engaging crank ends 41 and 42, in a similar manner to the arrangement of the intermediate crank portions of the other embodiments.

The crank ends '77 and '78 are loosely engaged in the socket ends of the equalizing coupling member 76. This member may preferably be formed of a cylindrical tube having diagonally offset openings 79 and 80 in its respective upper and lower surfaces, the metal being flattened at each side thereof as shown in Fig. 16 to provide a passage through which the connecting rod 70 is slidably engaged.

A head 81 is provided at the lower end of said rod for bearing against the coupling member, and has a rounded upper surface adapted to rockingly engage said member as the rod is swung. The ofiset of the openings '79 and 80 is such that the rod may swing into an angular position in the inoperative position of the catch, and will be centralized in the operative position. The loose engagement of the crank ends '77 and 78 in the coupling member is such that they not only rotate therein but may have a differential movement, in which case the coupling member assumes a non-parallel position.

The operation is substantially the same as that of the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 to 12. In the event that any irregularities in the hood, or in the mounting of the keeper brackets, or in the independently formed rock-shafts, causes one of the crank ends 41-42 to be engaged with its keeper before the other, the loose connection of the rock-shafts 37 and 37 with the coupling member 76 is such that tension will not be applied to this crank until the other crank end enages its keeper bracket, whereupon tension will be applied equally to the two crank ends irrespective of such irregularity, and the hood will be held with the same tension at one end as at the other.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiment of my invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means for imparting movement to said catch means in one direction, and spring means adapted to impart movement to said catch means in the other direction, said spring means adapted to normally maintain said catch means and said actuating means in operative relation with each other in both the operative and inoperative positions of said catch means, and said catch means being movable independently of said actuating means against the pressure of said spring means out of such operative relation.

2. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means disposed and engaging said catch means at one side for imparting movement to said catch means in one direction, and spring means adapted to impart movement to said catch means in the other direction, said spring means adapted to normally press said catch means into engagement with said actuating means in both the operative and inoperative position of said catch means, and said catch means being movable independently of said actuating means against the pressure of said spring means out of such engagement with said actuating means.

3. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising catch carrying means having movement into and out of operative relation with the keeper manually operable actuating means for imparting movement to said catch carrying means in one direction, said catch carrying means having a lost motion connection with said actuating means whereby it is also movable in said one direction independently of said actuating means, and spring means adapted to impart movement to said catch carrying means in the other direction.

4. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising rock-shaft means carried by the hood having a catch crank portion adapted to be engaged with the keeper upon rotation of said rock-shaft means in one direction and an actuating crank portion for rotating said rock-shaft means, manually operable actuating means also carried by the hood operatively related to said actuating crank portion for rotating said rock-shaft means in said one direction only, and spring means adapted to rotate said rock-shaft means in the other direction to disengage said catch crank portion from said keeper and adapted in the disengaged position to yieldably retain said rock shaft means and said actuating means in non-rattling relation to the hood.

5. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising rock-shaft means having a catch crank portion adapted to be engaged with the keeper upon rotation of said rock-shaft means in one direction and an actuating crank portion for rotating said rockshaft means, manually operable actuating means operatively related to said actuating crank portion for rotating said rock-shaft means in said one direction only, said actuating crank portion being free to move out of operative relation with said actuating means, and spring means adapted to rotate said rock-shaft means in the other direction to disengage said catch crank portion from said keeper.

6. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising rock-shaft means having a catch crank portion adapted to be engaged with the keeper upon rotation of said rock-shaft means in one direction and an actuating crank portion for rotating said rock-shaft -eans, a manually operable crank arm operatively engaged with said actuating crank portion at one side for rotating said rock-shaft means in said one direction only, said actuating crank portion being free to move out of operative engagement with said crank arm, and spring means adapted to rotate said rock-shaft means in the other direction to disengage said catch crank portion from said keeper.

'7. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising rock-shaft means having a catch crank portion adapted to be engaged with the keeper upon rotation of said rock-shaft means in one direction and an actuating crank portion for rotating said rock-shaft means, a manually operable actuating means, a movement translating member connected to said actuating means and operatively engaged with said actuating crank portion at one side for rotating said rock-shaft means in said one direction only, said actuating crank portion being free to move out of operative engagement with said movement translating member, and spring means adapted to rotate said rock-shaft means in the other direction to disengage said catch crank portions from said keeper.

8. In a hood catch, movable catch means adapted to be mounted interiorly upon the hood, actuating means for said catch means also inte riorly of the hood, a removable actuating handle eXteriorly of the hood having a portion extending to the interior or" the hood for engaging and supporting said actuating means, a bearing for said handle, and means adapted to retain said actuating means in relation to said bearing independently of said actuating handle.

9. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means for moving said catch means into operative relation With the keeper manually releasable means adapted to yieldably retain said catch means in said operative relation, and adapted to be released upon the application of a predetermined pressure, and spring means adapted to move said catch means out of operative relation, the pressure of said spring means being insufficient to overcome the predetermined retaining pressure of said manually releasable means.

10. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising manually operable actuating means for moving said catch means into operative relation with the keeper,

manually releasable retaining means for releasably retaining said catch means in said operative relation and adapted to be released upon the application of a predetermined pressure, and spring means adapted to move said catch means out of operative relation upon release by said retaining means, the pressure of said spring means being insufficient to overcome the predetermined retaining pressure of said retaining means.

11. A hood catch actuator, for operating keeper engaging catch means, comprising catch carrying means having movement to bring the catch means into and out of operative relation with the keeper and adapted to be under tension in the engaged relation of the catch means with said keeper, manually operable actuating means for moving said catch carrying means into operative relation with said keeper and adapted to yieldably retain said catch carrying means under said tension set up by engagement with said keeper, and spring means adapted to move said catch carrying means out of operative relation, the pressure of said spring means being less than the retaining pressure of said actuating means set up by said tension.

12. A hood catch actuator, for operating a plurality of catch means for engaging spaced keeper elements, comprising a plurality of rock shaft catch means having movement into and out of operable relation with said keeper elements, equalizing coupling means connecting said catch means for differential movement between them and adapted to be moved to move said catch means in one direction, manually operable actuating means for imparting movement to said coupling means in said one direction and spring means adapted to impart movement to said catch means in the other direction.

RAYMOND G. MOORE. 

